1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the construction of a coating film transfer tool for use in transferring a transfer layer provided on one side of a tape in a strippable state to a coating film receiving surface, and more particularly to a coating film transfer tool which can easily attain the replacement of a coating film transfer tape that has been used up with as few operations as possible.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a plurality of types of coating film transfer tools have been devised for use in transferring repairing paint or an adhesive layer to the surface of a piece of paper or the like.
These coating film transfer tools are mainly divided into products of a disposable type and products of a replaceable type in which a coating film transfer tape that has been used up is replaced with a refill coating film transfer tape for reusing the tool. With products like those of the former disposable type, since the internal construction of the coating film transfer tool can be made simple, products can be produced and provided at relatively low cost but lots of wastes are produced. Thus, there has existed a problem from viewpoints of conservation of resources and reduction in amount of wastes to be discharged.
To this end, in recent years attention is paid to coating film transfer tools of the replaceable or refilling type, but the following problems are provided by products currently sold in the market place.
Since the refilling type coating film transfer tool is intended to conserve the resources and to reduce wastes, it is ideal that only a used-up coating film transfer tape is replaced with no other accessory members existing which are to be replaced together with the used-up tape. However, since the replacement of only the coating film transfer tape is difficult to be implemented by the user with ease, in practice, certain members have to be replaced together with the used-up coating film transfer tape. Looking carefully at products currently marketed discloses the fact that quite a lot of constituent members are practically replaced together with a used-up coating film transfer tape, although it is desirable that the number of constituent members to be replaced together with a used-up coating film transfer tape is as low as possible.
For example, FIG. 21 shows a refill coating film transfer tape 800 according to an invention disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-286927. To explain specifically with reference thereto, conventionally there have been marketed many products in which a coating film transfer tape is provided as a cartridge with a view to facilitating the replacement of coating film transfer tapes. In such a product, normally replaced are a coating film transfer tape 805, a core 801 for the coating film transfer tape, a take-up reel 802, a cartridge base 803, a transfer head 804 and the like. To observe the operation of the coating film transfer tape here, the coating film transfer tape is supplied by the supply reel, a coating film is transferred by the head and the transfer film is taken up by the take-up reel. Since these operations are carried out in a series fashion, it is true that constituent members related to the series of operations are integrated into a cartridge with a view to facilitating the replacement of coating film transfer tapes. However, replacement of many members which still function properly together with a used-up coating film transfer tape is totally a waste, and such replacement does not seem to meet the original object to conserve the resources and reduce wastes.
In addition, even among the cartridge type refilling products, there are those having a simple construction and fewer constituent members to be replaced. However, with those products, operations needed to complete the replacement often tend to become more complicated by an extent to which the number of members to be replaced is reduced.
To cope with this, techniques were devised for eliminating the drawback of the aforesaid cartridge type coating film transfer tool. For example, the invention disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-2724 is one of them.
As shown in FIG. 22, a transfer head 900 and a supporting arm 901 for supporting the transfer head 900 are provided integrally rotatably on a coating film transfer tool according to this invention, and as shown in FIG. 23, a refill coating film transfer tape 1001 attached to a coating film transfer tape holder 1000 can easily be attached. Namely, when coating film transfer tapes are replaced, the head 900 and the arm 901 are rotated to produce a state shown in FIG. 22, in which state the refill coating film transfer tape 1001 fixed onto the holder 1000 and a take-up reel 1002 can be attached to a coating film transfer tool main body from thereabove. After the coating film transfer tape has been attached, when the head 900 and the arm 901 are rotated counterclockwise the coating film transfer tape is automatically set to the head and is also taken up to eliminate the slack of thereof, whereby the replacement of coating film transfer tapes can easily be implemented. In many cases, the largest concern of the user with the refilling type coating film transfer tools is that he or she has to engage a refill coating film transfer tape that has replaced the used-up one with the head. However, according to the aforesaid construction, the refill coating film transfer tape can be brought into engagement with the head without any special operation being performed by the user, and furthermore, the coating film transfer tape can also be automatically adjusted to eliminate the slack thereof. It can be said from this that the superior mechanism can be provided by the invention. In general, there is a tendency that the ease with which coating film transfer tapes are replaced is in contradiction to the number of constituent members to be replaced, and trying to limit the replacement work only to the replacement of a used-up coating film transfer tape while reducing the number of constituent members to be replaced forces the user to perform cumbersome operations such as manually engaging the coating film transfer tape with the head and then adjusting the take-up real to eliminate the slack of the tape. However, according to this invention, the necessity of performing such cumbersome operation can be obviated.
Furthermore, the constituent members to be replaced are limited to the coating film transfer tape, the take-up reel, the coating film transfer tape core and the holder, and therefore, conservation of the resources is achieved remarkably largely when compared with a product in which most of the internal mechanism of the coating film transfer tool are designed to be replaced.
However, there still exists a room for improvement even with such a product, and further conservation of the resources, reduction in amount of wastes, as well as simplification of operations required for replacement of coating film transfer tapes have been demanded. For example, with the prior art product, when coating film transfer tapes are replaced there are required to be operated five steps of {circle around (1)} opening the main body case, {circle around (2)} rotating the head and the arm, {circle around (3)} replacing coating film transfer tapes, {circle around (4)} rotating the head and the arm to be returned to the original positions, and {circle around (5)} closing the main body case. Although these operations are not difficult to operate once the user get used to performing them, the user is forced to feel it cumbersome to implement the operations, and hence there is a risk that a poor image may be imparted to the product.
Then, the present invention was made in view of the problem inherent in the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide a coating film transfer tool which can implement the replacement of transfer tapes with as fewer operations as possible while the simplicity and convenience provided by the prior art are being maintained.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coating film transfer tool which can contribute to conservation of the resources and reduction in amount of wastes.
With a view to attaining the objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coating film transfer tool for use to transfer a transfer layer provided on a side of a tape in a strippable state to a coating film receiving surface, characterized in that a main body case constructed in such a manner as to be divided into at least two separate case members is provided on a coating film transfer tool main body, and that one of the two case members is disposed manually rotatably relative to the other case member, the one case member comprising a head retaining body adapted to be interlocked with the operation of the one case member for rotation, a supply reel to which a coating film transfer tape is detachably attached, a take-up reel for taking up the coating film transfer tape after the tape has been used up, and a transfer mechanism for interlocking the supply reel and the take-up reel, whereby by opening the one case member by rotating it in one direction a head automatically rotates to be disengaged from the coating film transfer tape and at the same time the supply reel and the take-up reel become exposed out of the main body case so that the used-up coating film transfer tape is removed therefrom for replacement with a refill coating film transfer tape, whereas by closing the one case member by rotating it in an opposite direction the head not only rotates automatically in an opposite direction to engage with the refill coating film transfer tape so replaced but also is allowed to return to the same position as that the head took before it was moved.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, with the aforesaid construction the operations of the main body case, the head retaining body and the respective members provided in the main body case can be interlocked with each other. Namely, by opening one of the main body case members by rotating it relative to the other case member the head automatically rotates to be disengaged from the coating film transfer tape, and the supply reel and the take-up reel are exposed, so that the coating film transfer tape that has been used up can be removed therefrom for replacement with a refill coating film transfer tape. Then, by closing the one of the main body case members by rotating it in the opposite direction the head not only automatically rotates in the opposite direction to be brought into engagement with the refill coating film transfer tape so replaced but also returns to the same position as that the head took before it was rotated. According to the construction, the user can complete the replacement of the coating film transfer tapes only by opening the main body case, replacing the used-up coating film transfer tape with the refill coating film transfer tape, and closing the main body case. Thus, the necessity of the cumbersome operations which used to be manually individually implemented can be obviated, whereby the operations required for replacement of coating film transfer tapes can extremely be simplified.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coating film transfer tool for use to transfer a transfer layer provided on a side of a tape in a strippable state to a coating film receiving surface, characterized in that a main body case and a supporting body provided manually rotatably in the interior of the case main body are provided on a coating film transfer tool main body, the supporting body comprising a head retaining body adapted to be interlocked with the operation of the supporting body for rotation, a supply reel to which a coating film transfer tape is detachably attached, a take-up reel for taking up the coating film transfer tape after the tape has been used up, and a transfer mechanism for interlocking the supply reel and the take-up reel, whereby by drawing the supporting body from the main body case by rotating it in one direction a head automatically rotates to be disengaged from the coating film transfer tape and at the same time the supporting body moves out of the main body case so that the used-up coating film transfer tape is removed therefrom for replacement with a refill coating film transfer tape, whereas by accommodating the supporting body back in the main body case by rotating it in an opposite direction the head not only rotates automatically in an opposite direction to engage with the refill coating film transfer tape so replaced but also is allowed to return to the same position as that the head took before it was moved.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, with the aforesaid construction the operations of the supporting body, the head retaining body and the respective members provided on the supporting body can be interlocked with each other. Namely, by drawing the supporting body from the main body case by rotating it in the one direction the head automatically rotates to be disengaged from the coating film transfer tape that has been used up and at the same time the supporting body moves out of the main body case so that the used-up coating film transfer tape can be removed therefrom for replacement with the refill coating film transfer tape. On the contrary, by accommodating the supporting body back in the main body case by rotating it in the opposite direction the head not only automatically rotates in the opposite direction to be brought into engagement with the refill coating film transfer tape so replaced but also returns to the same position as that the head took before it was rotated. According to the construction, the user can complete the replacement of the coating film transfer tapes only by opening the main body case, replacing the used-up coating film transfer tape with the refill coating film transfer tape, and closing the main body case. Thus, the necessity of the cumbersome operations which used to be manually individually implemented can be obviated, whereby the operations required for replacement of coating film transfer tapes can extremely be simplified.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coating film transfer tool as set forth in the second aspect of the invention, wherein the head retaining body is provided with a gear adapted to mesh with a rack provided on the main body case and a ratchet adapted to interlock with the supply reel, wherein the supply reel of the supporting body, to which a coating film transfer tape is detachably attached, is provided with a gear having a center axis concentric with a rotational center axis of the supply reel and a pawl adapted to be locked in the ratchet provided on the head retaining body, wherein the take-up reel for taking up a coating film transfer tape after the tape has been used up is provided with a gear having a center axis concentric with a rotational center axis of the take-up reel, and wherein an intermediate gear is provided on the supporting body for interlocking the gears with each other which are provided on the supply reel and the take-up reel, respectively.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, with the aforesaid construction, the operations of the head retaining body, the supply reel and the take-up reel can be interlocked with each other, whereby only by opening the supporting body from the main body case by rotating it in the one direction the respective members on the supporting body can be operated in an interlocked fashion. According to this construction, when replacing coating film transfer tapes the user only has to replace the coating film transfer tape that has been used up with the refill coating film transfer tape, and hence the necessity is obviated of performing adjustment work such as moving individually the constituent members provided in the interior of the coating film transfer tool for eliminating the slack of the refill coating film transfer tape so replaced. Thus, the necessity of performing the adjustment work that used to be individually performed by the user when replacing coating film transfer tapes can be obviated, whereby the operations required for replacement of coating film transfer tapes can extremely be simplified.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coating film transfer tool as set forth in the second or third aspect of the present invention, wherein when the supporting body is rotated in one direction to be drawn out of the main body case the head automatically rotates to move into between the supply reel and the take-up reel and is automatically disengaged from the coating film transfer tape.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, when the supporting body is drawn from the main body case by rotating it in the one direction when coating film transfer tapes are replaced interlocking with the operation of the supporting body, the head retaining body automatically rotates. As this occurs, the head not only automatically rotates to move into between the supply reel and the take-up reel but also operates to be disengaged from the coating film transfer tape. Thus, the user is not required intentionally to disengage the coating film transfer tape from the head and to move the head to a position that does not disrupt the replacement of coating film transfer tapes, whereby the user can complete the replacement of coating film transfer tapes extremely easily.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coating film transfer tool as set forth in any of the second to fourth aspects of the invention, wherein when the supporting body is rotated in the opposite direction to be accommodated back in the main body case the head automatically rotates in the opposite direction not only to engage with a refill coating film transfer tape so replaced but also to remove the slack of the coating film transfer tape.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when replacing coating film transfer tapes by accommodating the supporting body back in the main body case by rotating the supporting body in the opposite direction interlocking with the operation of the supporting body, the head retaining body automatically rotates in the opposite direction. As this occurs, the head is brought into engagement with the refill coating film transfer tape so replaced, and the slack of the coating film transfer tape can be removed. Thus, the user is not required intentionally to bring the coating film transfer tape into engagement with the head and to adjust the slack of the coating film transfer tape, whereby the user can complete the replacement of the coating film transfer tapes extremely easily.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coating film transfer tool as set forth in any of the second to fifth aspects of the invention, wherein a rotating wall adapted to rotate relative to the main body case is provided on the main body case positioned on a rotating locus of the supporting body and wherein a biasing mechanism is provided on the rotating wall for automatically returning the rotating wall from a rotated position to the position the rotating wall took before it was rotated.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, when the supporting body is rotated in the one direction to replace coating film transfer tapes the head or the part of the supporting body comes into contact with the rotating wall, and as this occurs, the rotating wall is moved without disrupting the operation of the supporting body. Then, when the supporting body is rotated in the opposite direction after the replacement of the coating film transfer tapes has been completed the rotating wall also comes into contact with the supporting body and is moved without disrupting the operation of the supporting body. As this series of operations occurs, since the biasing mechanism is provided on the rotating wall, a force is always applied to the rotating wall in a direction in which the rotating wall is returned to its original position, whereby the rotating wall is prevented from being left in an opened state.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for replacing coating film transfer tapes for use in a coating film transfer tool for use to transfer a transfer layer provided on a side of a tape in a strippable state to a coating film receiving surface, characterized in that a main body case and a supporting body provided manually rotatably in the interior of the case main body are provided on a coating film transfer tool main body, the supporting body comprising a head retaining body adapted to be interlocked with the operation of the supporting body for rotation, a supply reel to which a coating film transfer tape is detachably attached, a take-up reel for taking up the coating film transfer tape after the tape has been used up, and a transfer mechanism for interlocking the supply reel and the take-up reel, whereby by drawing the supporting body from the main body case by rotating it in one direction a head automatically rotates to be disengaged from the coating film transfer tape and at the same time the supporting body moves out of the main body case so that the used-up coating film transfer tape is replaced with a refill coating film transfer tape, whereas by accommodating the supporting body back in the main body case by rotating it in an opposite direction the head not only rotates automatically in an opposite direction to engage with the refill coating film transfer tape so replaced but also is allowed to return to the same position as that the head took before it was moved, the method comprising the operations of rotating the supporting body in one direction to draw it from the main body case so as to remove a coating film transfer tape that has been used up, attaching a refill coating film transfer tape to the supply reel and the take-up reel after the used-up coating film transfer tape has been removed, and rotating the supporting body in the opposite direction to return the supporting body back into the main body case.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, with the aforesaid construction the replacement of the coating film transfer tapes can be facilitated. Namely, the user can complete the replacement of the coating film transfer tapes only by performing operations of rotating the supporting body in the one direction so as to draw it from the main body case for removal of the coating film transfer tape that has been used up, attaching the refill coating film transfer tape to the supply reel and the take-up reel after the used-up coating film transfer tape has been removed, and rotating the supporting body in the opposite direction so as to accommodate the supporting body back in the main body case.
According to the construction of a coating film transfer tool of the present invention, a main body case constructed to be divided into at least two separate case members is provided on a main body of the coating film transfer tool, and one of the case members is disposed manually rotatably relative to the other main body case member. Then, provided on the one case member are a head retaining body adapted to be interlocked with the operation of the one case member for rotation, a supply reel to which a coating film transfer tape is detachably attached, a take-up reel for taking up the coating film transfer tape after the tape has been used up, and a transfer mechanism for interlocking the supply reel and the take-up reel. According to the construction, by opening the one case member by rotating it in one direction a head automatically rotates to be disengaged from the coating film transfer tape and at the same time the supply reel and the take-up reel become exposed so that the used-up coating film transfer tape is removed therefrom for replacement with a refill coating film transfer tape. On the contrary, by closing the one case member by rotating it in an opposite direction the head not only rotates automatically in an opposite direction to engage with the refill coating film transfer tape so replaced but also is allowed to return to the same position as that the head took before it was moved.
In addition, according to the construction of another coating film transfer tool of the present invention, a coating film transfer tool comprises a main body case and a supporting body provided manually rotatably in the interior of the main body case. Then, provided on the supporting body are a head retaining body adapted to be interlocked with the operation of the supporting body for rotation, a supply reel to which a coating film transfer tape is detachably attached, a take-up reel for taking up the coating film transfer tape after the tape has been used up, and a transfer mechanism for interlocking the supply reel and the take-up reel. According to the construction, by drawing the supporting body from the main body case by rotating it in one direction a head automatically rotates to be disengaged from the coating film transfer tape and at the same time the supporting body moves out of the main body case so that the used-up coating film transfer tape is removed therefrom for replacement with a refill coating film transfer tape. On the contrary, by accommodating the supporting body back in the main body case by rotating it in an opposite direction the head not only rotates automatically in an opposite direction to engage with the refill coating film transfer tape so replaced but also is allowed to return to the same position as that the head took before it was moved.
Thus, according to the aforesaid constructions of the present invention, it is possible to provide the coating film transfer tools which can implement the replacement of coating film transfer tapes with as few operations as possible while the simplicity and convenience are being maintained. Furthermore, since constituent members to be replaced are limited to those such as the coating film transfer tape, the core of the coating film transfer tape and the tape locking body, it is possible to provide the coating film transfer tools that can contribute to conservation of the resources, as well as reduction in amount of wastes.